RealSimple.com: Healing Tips for 8 Common Maladies

Sore Throat

Do:

Stir a teaspoon of salt into a cup of warm water, then gargle with the solution to reduce swelling. Repeat every few hours.

Sip herbal tea. Suck on cough drops, lozenges, Popsicles, or even a spoonful of honey. These won’t necessarily quicken healing, but they can soothe your throat, and honey has an antiviral effect. Or use an antiseptic spray that contains phenol (such as Chloraseptic) to numb the area.

Try to work through it. Going to the gym or out for drinks with friends can further stress your body and hamper recovery.

Cool your skin with ice packs when you overheat; ice can actually burn your skin. Use a cold washcloth instead.

Call your doctor if:

You have a fever that’s over 101 degrees Fahrenheit, you have a headache and neck pain, or your fever doesn’t break after two solid days. Most fevers are viral and go away in a day or two. But in some cases a fever could be the sign of something more serious, like a kidney infection, pneumonia, or meningitis.

Use a saline spray or rinse to clear out mucus and bacteria and help reduce pressure.

Take a decongestant that contains pseudoephedrine (such as Sudafed), which will quickly shrink the inflamed blood vessels that are causing the pain.

Ease head discomfort by taking ibuprofen, an anti-inflammatory. Note: It’s OK to take a decongestant and ibuprofen (found in Advil)?the two active ingredients are often sold in one pill. However, experts suggest taking them separately to better control the dosages.

Apply a petroleum jelly (like Vaseline) to keep the sore moist and to prevent cracking.

If you get cold sores regularly, ask your doctor about an oral antiviral prescription medication, such as Valtrex or Acyclovir. One or two doses taken as soon as you feel a cold sore coming on can reduce the duration of the sore and help prevent recurrences.

Be patient. A cold sore usually goes away in a few days. In the meantime, relieve pain with a topical cold-sore treatment that contains benzocaine (like Nexcare Cold Sore Treatment) .

Stir a teaspoon of salt into a cup of warm water, then gargle with the solution to reduce swelling. Repeat every few hours.

Sip herbal tea. Suck on cough drops, lozenges, Popsicles, or even a spoonful of honey. These won’t necessarily quicken healing, but they can soothe your throat, and honey has an antiviral effect. Or use an antiseptic spray that contains phenol (such as Chloraseptic) to numb the area.

Stay hydrated by drinking clear liquids, like water, herbal tea, or a sports drink. Vomiting or diarrhea can lead to dehydration, which affects the body’s ability to deliver blood to vital organs. If you can’t keep anything down, suck on ice chips or Popsicles.

Keep the cut moist; this is key to promoting the rapid growth of new skin cells. Apply a thin layer of an antibiotic ointment. If the cut is in a place where the ointment can rub off or get dirty, cover it with a bandage.

Use peroxide, alcohol, or witch hazel, all of which dry skin and slow the formation of new skin cells.

Call your doctor if:

The pain worsens; there’s swelling, a bloody discharge, or pus; or the area isn’t improving after a few days. You may have a second- or third-degree burn. (A first-degree burn resembles a popped blister. Second- and third-degree burns look like deep ulcers.) Both are at increased risk of infection and scarring and may call for antibiotics, special dressings, or even skin grafts.